Indian Consulate targets Pushtuns
By Khalid Khokhar

THE first step for the rebuilding of the Afghanistan taken by the UN during December 2001 in Germany, led to the establishment of interim Government in Afghanistan and the Bonn Agreement, which put in place a timetable for ‘promoting national reconciliation, lasting peace, stability and respect for human rights’. (Substantial international response emerged on the basis of the agreements reached at the international conference on reconstruction assistance to Afghanistan (Tokyo, January 21-22-2002) where donor aid to the tune of $5 billion was pledged.

The agriculture sector has been hit hardest. Almost all-cultivable area had been mined and although de-mining exercise by international agencies is in progress; this could take years to show results. Currently, Afghanistan has a porous border with Pakistan, China and Iran. Almost all consume items, food and industrial good are form these countries. Trade routes into Afghanistan are by sea (Mumbai to Bunderbas in Iran), by road to Kabul, by road to Uzbekistan, through Pakistan. The authentic sources revealed that the Karzai Government is making last-ditch effort to regain the confidence of the Afghan masses. There is a lot of talk about transparency and having a corruption-free State administration. Regional warlords are holding prominent positions in the Government.

Afghan Interim Administration (AIA) intends that the reconstruction process will eventually help establish political stability and security, provides access to basic services, ensure adequate standard of living for its people, push up and sustain economic growth and finally in the not-too-distant future, free the country from foreign aid.

Amongst many Western donors, India has also flooded in a lot of resources to create a wedge between Afghanistan and Pakistan on sensitive issues like, Durand Line, sporadic acts of terrorism, conflicts between Pushtuns and non-Pushtuns, etc. New Delhi claims that its help in rebuilding Afghanistan is “visible” and is being appreciated by the Afghans. The latest document brought out by the external affairs ministry on Indian aid to Afghanistan, reveals that India is going to set up phone services in 11 provincial capitals at a cost of $ 12.5 million.

The projects are to be completed by December 2004. Work is also to begin in four months time on the Zaranj-Delaram highway for which the Indian Government has approved $ 84 million over and above $ 100 million for upgradation and reconstruction of the highway. The document mentions that 274 buses have been gifted for the public transport system — the most visible manifestation of Indian support. In the past, three airbus aircraft along with essential spares including engines, services and crew support have been provided to Ariana Afghan Airlines.

Further, Indian doctors are working in Kabul and other cities in Afghanistan such as Mazar-e-Sharif, Herat and Shebargan. The reconstruction of the famous Indira Gandhi institute of Child Health in Kabul has also commenced. India has decided to gift 300 vehicles to the Afghan National Army. India is also training Afghan diplomats, senior Government officials, doctors and paramedics, police officers and cadets, judges and lawyers, airline officials’ engineers, women entrepreneurs. Approximately 60,000 Afghan refugees are estimated to be living in New Delhi, but since the beginning of 1999, the Indian Government’s Foreigners Regional Registrations offices (FRRO) has refused to renew their residence visas. As a result, the residence visas of most of these refugees have expired and they are now living in the country illegally.

The situation for Afghan refugees is rapidly deteriorating. The Indian government’s new policy of non-renewal is a fundamental part of the product of tensions between Indian and Pakistan. Bashir Safi, a Pushtun of Kandhar, applied for Indian visa for himself and his father on medical grounds, but despite desperate efforts, could only manage to get visa after two months.

The main reason of delaying the visa of the incumbent was his Urdu-speaking ability. Urdu-speaking Afghans are refused visa in routine due to their stay in Pakistan. They are seen with suspicion and are considered supporters of Pakistan. During Bashir’s stay in Delhi, he was constantly checked for his presence and treatment by the Indian intelligence. Friction also exists between different segments of Indian officials working in the reconstruction process of Afghanistan that sometimes ends up into command-specific scuffle between undercover intelligence officials and Indian diplomats. The sufferers are of course general populace.

In the past, there have been many attempts to create an Afghan national identity. This was mainly done through the movement of Tajiks, Uzbeks and Hazaras from northern Afghanistan to the South and the movement of Pushtun to the north. In order to extend its rule, the British succeeded in dividing the country into Pushtun and non-Pushtun regions. This divide was further deepened by the Russian occupation of Afghanistan. They tired to strengthen the tribal identities between the Northern Afghan tribes and the Soviet republics of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. When the Taliban cam into power they displaced the Uzbek, Tajik and other non-Pushtun population from Pushtun dominated areas to establish their own control. Nevertheless, India gave all-out support to these factional tribes so that the influence of Pakistan be restricted.

Accordingly, India smelt that Afghanistan is most likely to have an Islamic constitution with Pushtuns in the power. Therefore, it would be in India’s interests to encourage the non-Pushtun and discourage Pushtun especially living in the bordering areas or speaks Urdu language. Through its conspicuous lop-sided strategy, India has been totally identified with the Northern Alliance and seen as anti-Pushtun. India adopted a people-centred approach to build cordial relations with non-Pushtuns.

This includes building communication lines, roads, hospitals and schools in Afghanistan. The aspect of economic cooperation with Afghanistan including measures like a free trade area is essentially targeted to belittle Pakistan.

The United Nation Secretary General, Kofi Annan, says world governments must send more peacekeeping troops other than Indians to Afghanistan or risk seeing the central Asian nation crumble into chaos. UN special envoy, Lakhadar Brahimi warned that the UN might leave Afghanistan if security could not be ensured. Mr Brahimi, and architect of Afghanistan’s 2001 peace plan, also suggested that Afghanistan’s first elections, scheduled for next June, be postponed due to maverick strife of the regional commanders duly supported by Indians.●

The writer is a noted analyst and an expert on South Asian Affairs.  

© 2004 Khalid Khokar